Surface Layers
by Windsett
Summary: No-one's ever realised that the Surge Protector is responsible for all the graffiti throughout the arcade, and that's the way he wants it. When he catches someone else spray painting in one of the tunnels he's willing to make a deal with them, but never thought he'd be explaining just why he's been doing this for years.


**AN: This is the result of a random head canon I have about all the graffiti shown in the games' tunnels and, like all of my story ideas, wouldn't leave me alone until I'd written it. I also wanted to have a go at changing my writing style, which I've tried out on this. Whether this story contributes towards the ultimate aim of improving my writing in general I don't know, but I need the practice and the more I get the better I guess!**

**Secondly, I planned it out with pretty much every other character you can think of instead of Skrillex, but for many reasons it never read right. Some other random ideas also occurred to me and he fitted in quite well with them, so here he is. I'm not an expert on his real life personality, so I apologise for any awful errors I've made regarding him – I mean no disrespect! **

**And finally I give my thanks to you, whoever you are, for taking the time to read this. **

* * *

"I could teach you to do that properly you know."

"Ah!"

Skrillex started violently, and as he spun around the can of spray paint he was holding fell to the ground. It rolled and clanked along the floor of Sugar Rush's tunnel, and only stopped once it hit the Surge Protector's foot.

Surge uncrossed his arms and picked the can up with a look of distain. He gave it a shake, and filled the sudden silence with a metallic rattle. It echoed off the walls, and Surge tilted the can towards the weak light filtering through the entrance he was standing in. "You're not even using the right paint," he commented scornfully.

Skrillex took a deep breath and thrust his hands in his pockets. "Look, I didn't- I mean this isn't- I mean," he managed to stammer out, before Surge's words finally caught up with him and his eyes widened. "Wait, what? You could _what_?"

"This mixture of chemicals won't last longer than a month, no matter what surface you spray it on," Surge continued, as he ignored the question and began to walk towards him. "Not to mention the fact that your can control's abysmal."

Despite himself, Skrillex found himself bristling in defence. "It's not _that_ bad."

Surge raised an eyebrow. "I can decode over one thousand languages, and I still can't understand what you've just tried to write."

"It's my name!"

"It's a mess."

"Well it is dark in here! Kinda difficult to draw straight lines when I can't see clearly. Why is it so dark in here anyway?"

Surge looked at him with something approaching pity. "Because it's a tunnel. And because you're wearing sunglasses. And because I've dimmed every light throughout the Arcade, what with it being almost four in the morning."

Skrillex rubbed the back of his neck with a hand. "Well, yeah, obviously I know all that, but…" he sighed and looked back at his attempt. The added glow to the tunnel that Surge was creating illuminated his work clearer, and he cringed slightly. OK maybe the lines _were _a mess, but he had been painting them in a rush. And the weak smudging colours weren't his fault, since he didn't have a wide selection of paint to choose from in the first place.

"So," Surge continued, as he interrupted Skrillex's train of thought. "Do you want to learn to do this properly or not?" He had positioned himself directly in front of the tunnel's intruder, and was holding out the paint can to him.

Skrillex looked briefly at the paint can before regarding Surge with open suspicion.

He'd been plugged into Dance Dance Revolution as a limited time special upgrade for five days now, and during this time he'd heard nothing but bad things about the blue security guard. The dancers had an unlimited supply of stories about his pointless security checks, and even Tapper had nodded in agreement about how over the top they'd become. He'd been painted a picture of a sour, uptight jobsworth with no personality who was only happy when telling people off for rule breaking. But yet here he was offering to teach a master class on how to deface public property. It didn't make sense.

Skrillex frowned. "Is this a trick? I know I'm already in trouble for this, but I'm not gonna fall for any sting operation you've got planned. I've only got another week left here, and I don't want to spend it locked in a prison!"

Surge tutted and withdrew his arm. "No this is not a trick. I do many things, but I don't lie. And there isn't a prison here anyway. Worst I could do is quarantine you within your game, but producing a poor piece of art hardly qualifies for that sentence."

Surge began tapping the can with a finger of his other hand. "If you want to leave your mark on this place I understand that, I really do. But you can't do it in here. Not in Sugar Rush."

Skrillex took his arms out of his pockets and folded them across his chest. It seemed like he wasn't about to get electrified or imprisoned or even punished, and he wanted to keep Surge away from that line of thought in case he changed his mind. "Why not? There's a ton of graffiti in here anyway…one more word won't make much of a difference."

Surge stopped tapping and looked around the tunnel slowly. "Because there are enough names in here already."

Skrillex looked at the area Surge's gaze had rested on, and saw a sharp collection of black and white shapes. It was difficult to make them out clearly in the gloom, but those squares could be flags and those circles could be eyes. And there seemed to be what almost looked like a wide mouth. Yes, a mouth above some letters.

He squinted harder. "Who's Turbo?"

Skrillex could have sworn Surge had sighed at that, but when he looked at the Protector's face it was set.

"So no-one's told you about him then? Hardly a surprise I guess. Turbo's…a reminder. And since Sugar Rush doesn't have many visitors or leavers, it's the perfect place for him." Surge definitely did sigh this time. "Anywhere else and I'd never hear the end of it, but in here he's out of the way. He's…safe. He's- argh he's not important! Forget it. Forget _him_." Surge waved a hand dismissively in front of his face, as if to vanish away all the words he'd just spoken. "If you want to scribble your name in another tunnel I'll allow it, but I want something in return."

A mask of suspicion returned to Skrillex's face quickly. He wasn't quite ready to contemplate what the Surge Protector could want from him, so he stuck to the topic of Turbo. He was curious about it now, despite the surreal situation he'd found himself in.

"But…this Turbo guy _must_ be important if you've bothered to draw him."

"No, he's not," Surge repeated bluntly. His voice was level, but his grip on the can was tighter. "He's a reminder. A _warning_. Nothing more."

Skrillex thought about it and shook his head in. "No, I don't buy it. I think you…well I think you _liked_ the guy. Ages ago, yeah, you actually liked him. Maybe most people _in_ here liked him - but then he put himself on everyone's hit list, and now his name's never mentioned. But…if it ever is, I'm gonna guess it's not in a good way."

Surge fell silent, and indents began to form on the can he was holding.

"…Turbo's not a good guy, is he?"

Surge sighed and looked away. "…not any more."

"But he was?"

Surge nodded reluctantly. "He…he was programmed to be. And he was. To an extent, he actually was. He was to everyone here…to me even." Surge let out a bark of laughter. It was harsh and bounced horribly off the walls. "But like I said, that doesn't matter. Turbo's smarmy face here," Surge continued as he scowled at the black and white drawing, "is nothing more than a reminder."

"…a reminder of what?"

"Of what can go wrong if I let it! Of how it's best not to trust anyone completely, because when your back is turned they'll just…_knock_ it down and drive straight over it! Just…just drive over you and _cruise_ on in to somewhere they've got no place being, and you're- you're just left _standing_ there like a fool while everything goes up in flames around you!"

Skrillex leaned backwards in slight alarm. "What on earth are you talking about?"

"I don't stop and question people all day every day for the fun of it!" Surge snapped. He took a step forward, and a crackle of electricity passed over him. "It doesn't matter who you're programmed to be you know! If you're a good guy or a bad guy, you can still…you can still _hurt_ people or destroy worlds or do something so good it's almost unbelievable. You can…change things, and those things will last, and I will not be held responsible for something like that again!" His eyes flickered briefly over Turbo's tag again. "I will not _be _responsible for something like that again."

Surge breathed out heavily and made a visible effort to collect himself. He held the can in both hands now, and deliberately lowered his voice. "…it was…over a decade ago, easily, that Turbo…tricked me. When he deceived everyone. I never guessed that he- I never thought he'd crash into RoadBlasters like that, no-one did! Why would we? …but he did, and what happened…happened. And guess who got the blame? Guess who _still _gets the blame?"

Skrillex swallowed and shook his head. "I…I've heard…well I've heard a few things about you, but never… anything like that. They…blame you for wasting their time with questions you already know the answer to, but not…not anything to do with Turbo, or…or how you let him wreck some game or hurt people or anything." He shook his head again. "You need to give yourself a break you know – holding onto too much guilt isn't healthy."

Surge fell silent and glared at Skrillex. Or maybe it was a mixture of a glare and a release of painful regret. Maybe it was a different emotion altogether, but whatever Surge was feeling it was hard to tell. They stood and regarded one another in the shadows, and Skrillex tapped the fingers of one hand against the side of his leg in acute discomfort.

The only sound in the tunnel was the faint background noise of the arcade itself. It was a soft electrical humming, and it droned patiently. What might have been a wisp of stale air blew gently from the pitch black entrance to Sugar Rush itself, but that could have been all in Skrillex's mind. Maybe it was his own shallow breaths. He shuffled uncomfortably, and thoughts of being quarantined refused to leave him.

"…sooo," he said loudly, "you like to paint, huh? Never had you down for an artist though…I mean don't get me wrong or anything your work's good, but,…graffiti? _Really_?"

Surge looked intensely at Skrillex, like he could x-ray and define him. After a beat he then looked away. He forced himself to relax, and accepted the change of topic. No-one had ever known he was behind all the graffiti in the arcade, and he'd never been asked about it. Not really. Every now and again someone would complain about it, and Surge would readily agree that it was a mess, a disgrace, and that he was investigating it as they spoke. But no-one had ever _really _asked about it; no-one had ever approached the subject with curiosity or concern. However now someone was, and it was difficult to speak about it. But it was also a relief, and he hadn't realised how much he'd _wanted_ to explain it until right now.

"…yeah, it's…it's something I've done for a while now. …for years actually, ever since…well ever since Turbo went…well, _Turbo_, I guess. It…a year ago, I mean a year _after_, Turbo did…what he did, the arcade remembered it. There were…groups of characters, all over, just sitting or standing or…or drinking, and remembering him. …not in a good way of course, oh no. But they remembered him. They remembered what he'd done. But…but not what he _did_. Before, you understand? All that he did, and was, before he…" Surge sighed again and broke off.

Skrillex opened his mouth but Surge held up a hand quickly. If he was going to talk about this he wanted it over and done with, no interruptions. He actually wanted to talk about it and, now that he'd started, the words flowed easier.

"I wanted to do something to remember him as well, but I couldn't…well not with the rest of them, I mean. I-they blamed me you see. Not for what he did, but for allowing it to happen. They thought there was a possibility I could have stopped him, but it's not as if he told me his plan in detail the day before! He tore out of his game in that kart of his at full speed and ripped the heart out of another, and no-one saw it coming. Turbo got unplugged instantly, and everyone…they didn't have him to blame, you see. He was gone, and they took it all out on someone else. Someone who they thought _could _have done something to stop it,

But I couldn't …how could I? A powerful engine like that, and this was before I'd installed the warning barriers into each game of course. They….didn't blame me out loud or to my face or anything, no- they were too…wary? Too…smart? to question me and doubt me back then – these days it's another story of course – but I…I wouldn't have been exactly welcome at one of their anniversary get togethers, so, I…I held my own cele- well celebration isn't the right word for it of course, I…remembered him in a different way. The graffiti, it…like him it's colourful, and a mess, and demands attention in a twisted way. It will last forever, and never be completely understood."

Surge finished, and looked shocked at how much he'd just said.

Skrillex also looked taken aback, and ran a hand through his hair. "…woah. That…uh…yeah. Yeah that makes sense. Yeah. So…you paint something random each year, to…remember him? To copy his randomness? And…even though what's done looks bad on the surface, it…well there's more of a story behind it then what people choose to see, isn't there?"

Surge nodded again and his eyes darted around; at the walls, the floor and the person he'd just opened up to. But he wasn't paying full attention. He seemed distracted, and oddly hopeful, like he wanted to continue talking but didn't have a clue what to say next.

Skrillex seemed to have noticed this, and began a commentary on some of the graffiti he'd seen in the Arcade. "Pretty wide collection you've made for yourself around here…the Arcade I mean, not just this game. I checked out a lot of tunnels before trying my luck in this one. Yeah, I've seen a lot of paint work…pictures, names, slogans….'All your base are belong to us?' I bet it gave you a nosebleed to write that grammar."

Surge smiled briefly, but only for an instant before it vanished. But its traces remained, because Surge's face wasn't quite so tight any more, and his posture wasn't as ramrod straight as it had been.

"But," Skrillex continued, "what I do want to know is, what's the story behind the crown and K.C. over in Pac Man's tunnel? Keyhole Chocolate?"

Surge rolled his eyes and pushed his glasses back up his nose. "I was doing a standard perimeter check in here… what, five…six years ago? Whenever it was, there _he_ was. King Candy. Ruler of Sugar Rush. Just…_staring_ at Turbo's tag, with some odd little smile on his face. He looked at me all funny for a while and, then, took his crown off and _bowed_. Yep, actually bowed, and then walked back down the tunnel and never said a word. Crazy folk in that game." Surge shrugged lightly.

"When it was time for me to paint next year I just, well, remembered it. Remembered that shiny yellow crown, and how it made the King's eyes glow yellow when he looked at me. So I painted it. KC. Those letters are another reminder for me to be on guard. Ever heard of the konami code? No? Good. Anyone got their hands on that and I'd be in trouble….we'd _all_ be in trouble."

"…but why," Skrillex asked, slightly concerned but more than slightly relieved Surge wasn't about to explode on him, "doesn't anyone from Sugar Rush come out? Now that I think about it, no-one from that game's ever been mentioned to me. I'm not saying you should do anything of course, I just…"

Surge shrugged again. "I'm not complaining that a dozen kid racers aren't trying to barrel out of this tunnel every day in their little candy go karts! I had enough problems with cars when Tur- they're all happy to stay in their world of sugar and sweets, and so am I. They don't give me problems, and I don't ask them questions. Why fix something that's not broken? I scan and analyse the game every day of course – just like I do with all the games here – and there's never been a problem with it. Never been a problem with any_one_ in it. None of my sensors ever pick up anything, and none of my alarms ever sound. Some people just don't like others I guess. Some people…just don't like the attention, and that's hardly a bad thing."

Skrillex nodded, and looked back at the jumble of letters he'd sprayed on the wall. "Look, I'm sorry I messed your walls up with…well with this. You could…paint over it next year perhaps?"

Surge moved towards the wall near the entrance to Game Central Station. The light from the Station was weak, but it still glinted off his glasses. "These _are_ my walls, and nothing stays on them if I don't want it to."

Surge placed the palm of his hand on the wall beside him, and a small spark flashed brightly in the gloom. It dimmed and then ate into the wall, as Surge connected to the Arcade's grid and sent a stream of blue strands towards the new graffiti. The lines criss crossed and meshed together, and formed a solid blue rectangle over the fresh paint. The rectangle pulsed once, twice, and then all traces of colour had gone. A clear and smooth wall stared back at them, and Surge took his hand away.

Skrillex ran a finger over the now clean area. "Nice." He took his hand away and looked at Surge. "Why do you bother painting? Can't you just, you know, _touch_ the wall and create whatever you want?"

"Well of course I could." Surge finally set the can down on the floor, and there was a threat of a grin on his face. "But where's the fun in that?" He straightened back up, and regarded Skrillex with a calm interest. It was almost friendly.

"So," he repeated himself again. "Do you want to learn to paint properly or not?"

Skrillex tilted his head and took a deep breath. "What do you want in return?"

Surge told him and explained why.

Skrillex frowned slightly. "I don't know… it's not really my…" He considered some more, and his face lightened. "Sure, why not! It…actually sounds quite fun. Always good to practice your craft, right?"

Surge nodded, and something resembling a smile flickered across his face. "Do this and you'll get someone else recognised, and then…then you can paint your mark in people's minds."

Skrillex shook his head, and grinned as the idea came to him. "No. What I'll paint will highlight the importance of two people in this Arcade. One who's been here for days, and one who's been here for years."

"…what do you mean?"

Skrillex nodded at Surge. "I'm going to paint an 'S'. As big as you like."

Surge smiled at that, genuinely this time, and the entire tunnel was illuminated in a burst of warm light. He lifted up his arm and opened his hand. "We have a deal then?"

Skrillex shook the outstretched hand and nodded again.

"Deal."

* * *

"That is _fantastic_ news Mr. Surge Protector, it really is! Oh just wait until I tell Felix, he'll be _thrilled_! Absolutely thrilled! I always do my best for him as you know, but I've really outdone myself this time!"

Gene put his hands on his hips and beamed in triumph. "When Felix finds out a top disc jockey will be playing his favourite songs at the party he'll be falling _over_ himself to thank me, he really will! But I can't take _all_ the credit of course!" He chuckled indulgently. "Tell me good sir – how _did_ you get Mr Skrillex to agree to come to our little get together this weekend?"

Surge looked at him deadpan. "My good looks and charming personality."

"What?" Gene's smile flickered briefly in puzzlement, but his wide grin returned immediately. "Well, anyway, he's agreed to come and it will be a _great _thirtieth anniversary party!"

Surge considered him carefully. "This isn't for free don't forget."

Gene's smile faltered even more at that, and this time it stayed reduced. A trace of irritation crept into his voice. "Oh come now, you can't be serious about that?"

"When am I ever _not_ serious? Now, do you want to honour our agreement or not?"

Gene's smile vanished completely, and his arms fell from his sides. "But…why? It's pointless! He's not even going to _be _at the party!" Gene slowly crossed his arms over his chest, and regarded Surge with eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Why do you even care?"

Surge looked at him squarely. "Anniversaries are made because of people, and those people deserve to be recognised. They…they need to be _remembered_ somehow. And _someone _around here has to acknowledge the ones others forget. Someone has to recognise the ones others would like to pretend didn't even exist."

Gene frowned, but his voice took on a lighter pleading tone. "We don't even know what his favourite flavour is! You don't want to… _ruin _Mary's theme now, do you? She's put _ever_ so much work into it you know…" Gene trailed off hopefully and waited for a response. When none was forthcoming he deepened his scowl and stared at Surge unblinking, as if he could change his mind by the power of thought alone.

The Mayor of Niceland's stubbornness was a force to be reckoned with inside his game, and Gene poured everything he had into the effort to get his way. But the Surge Protector's obstinacy was legendary, and he calmly absorbed the silent wave of guilt and incredulity he was supposed to drown under.

As predicted Gene broke first, and he glanced away quickly and tutted loudly. He folded his arms tighter across his body, and breathed in and out deeply. Then slowly he turned his face back to Surge, and looked at him in a mixture of revulsion and pity. There was a twisted little smile on his blocky face, and his eyes were black dots. His voice was calm and soft, and he took great care to speak slowly.

"You do know Ralph can't stand you, right? You do…_understand _this, don't you? He's not like the rest of us Surge. We don't like you, but he…he _hates _you. Every night he badmouths you, and curses your name. And every night – without fail – we have to listen to him _bellow_ obscenities about you, as he wallows around that stinking dump of his." Gene tilted his head in mock concern. "Why would you want to help a bad guy like that?"

Surge stood stock still, and didn't react at all. He didn't even blink. Without breaking eye contact with Gene he repeated himself. "Do you want to honour our agreement or not?"

Gene made a noise of absolute disgust and threw his hands up in the air. He squinted nastily at Surge and, after a long second, nodded abruptly and spat out a reply. "Fine. I agree and…_fine_. But if this party's ruined it's all on _you_!" He stabbed a finger out towards Surge, and put his other hand on his hip. "It will be _your_ fault, you know! If things don't go perfectly, it will be because of _you_."

Surge bowed in mockery, and nodded to Gene as he straightened. Then he turned abruptly to walk towards the building's exit. He opened the door and pulled it behind him slowly. The door closed carefully and the lock snicked shut into place. Gene looked at the front door in pure hatred for almost a minute, and then he sighed loudly. Still full of irritation, he shouted up the stairs.

"_Mary!"_

"…yes?" drifted back the carefree reply.

"I…" Gene paused, and exhaled heavily. He clasped his hands together tightly, and his voice was lowered in bitter defeat.

"There's…there's someone else you need to add to your building cake..."


End file.
